In a modern Los Angeles Villa, nestled amid ficus hedges, Italian cypress, and olive trees, designer Daniel Cuevas’s latest project has the stately air of a european villa. Yet despite its calming classicism, the home of this California couple with three teenage children is the embodiment of craftsmanship and ingenuity. Cuevas designed the house as a series of courtyards and gallerylike hallways that feature sculpture, large-scale contemporary art, and shapely antique furniture as focal points.

Photo text credits: Veranda Magazine

The most unexpected discovery is that the house, which has the air of having been built in the 1920s and thoughtfully updated, was actually newly constructed three years ago on what was a dirt lot. Working with architect Kevin Clark, Cuevas conceived the home as an amalgam of European influences with contemporary proportions, surrounded by lushly landscaped gardens with views from every room through custom iron doors and windows.

Photo text credits: Veranda Magazine

As a co-owner of the furniture company Dennis & Leen and the Formations collection of furnishings and accessories, Cuevas travels constantly. And although the kitchen features a Spanish-style beamed ceiling, the space flirts with Parisian Deco design with a gleaming mix of blackened steel and nickel-accented cabinetry. Priding himself on not having any one look, Cuevas has a simple design philosophy.